Shoe tree



Sept. 24, 1935. I .5, F, HQRSTING zmszm SHOE TREE Filed Aug. 24, 1932 Mm... M I m; 7

Patented Sept. 24, 1935 UNITED s-Tmss PATENT OFFIE Simplex Shoe Tree ration of Illinois Chicago, 111., a corpo- Application August 24, 1932, Serial No. 630,191

3 Claims. (Cl; 12-1281) My invention relates to shoe trees and is concerned principally with providing an. article which is cheap to manufacture without affecting in any manner its capacity for efficiently achieving its primary purpose.

One object of my invention is to devise a shoe tree whose form of construction facilitates its easy and rapid insertion within a shoe for the purpose of correctly reshaping the same for wearing in order to preserve its contour and promote the comfort of the user.

A further object is to provide a tree of the character indicated comprising relatively movable heel and toe portions which are actuated outwardly from each other to provide the shaping pressure by a simple spring action, and in which the relation of the several parts is such that the heel and toe portions are positively retained in their proper positions, free of any tendency to rise out of the shoe.

A further object is toprovide a tree in which a simple length of wire is utilized to provide the motivating spring for the heel and toe portions and also the hand gripping members which are grasped to move these portions to a retracted position, a suitable part linking these members to limit their outward. movement under the action of the spring toa spacing that may be easily grasped by the hand of the user when conditioning the tree for insertion in a shoe, the use of this part permitting the adoption of a stronger spring than would otherwise be possible.

A further object is to provide a tree having a skeleton construction which is light in weight and easy to handle, but which is reasonably stiffened in lateral directions to thereby insure the most efiective action of the spring on the heel and toe portions.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved shoe tree.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tree.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2,

looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the link device for limiting the outward movement of the heel and toe portions so that the spacing of the hand gripping members is not greater than can be conveniently grasped by the users hand.

Referring to Fig. 2, the numeral 1 ll designates a wire of appropriate gauge which is composed of a material suitable for spring purposes. The wire 10 is coiled intermediate its ends to form the spring I l the diameter of the coils and their number depending upon the gauge of the wire and the required stiffness of spring action.

The portions of the wire projecting from the coil H are then bent downwardly to form the hand grip members It which, adjacent their lower ends, are preferably bent rather sharply toward each other, as indicated by the numeral i3, and one member is then extended rearwardly to provide an arm M which is connected to a heel portion l5 that may have the shape indicated, or other forms as desired. Beyond the other bent portion 33, the wire is bent forwardly to provide an arm 16 which is secured to a toe portion H. The indicated bending of the wire in the locations it provides a pair of bights l8 which are intended to receive the return bends at the ends of a link l9 which accordingly encircles the hand grip members 1 2 and limits the normal outward or spreading movement of the heel and toe portions under the actuation of the spring 11 The length of the link 19 is such that the hand grip members I2 are retained sufficiently close to each other to permit their being easily grasped by the users hand, thus enabling the use of a stronger spring 1! than would otherwise be possible. In other words, without the provision of the link 19, the hand grip members 12 would be normally spread apart a distance that would prevent their being simultaneously grasped by the fingers of the hand, so that the positioning of the tree in the shoe could only be accomplished with great difficulty.

The operation of the shoe tree will be apparent from an examination of Fig. 2. The user grasps the hand grip members 12 and moves them toward each other against the increased tension thereby set up in the spring H. This action draws-the heel and toe portions toward each other and enables the tree to be easily inserted in the shoe. After being fully inserted, pressure on the members i2 is then released, whereupon the coil spring I! moves the heel and toe portions into intimate and pressing engagement with the corresponding portions within the shoe. It will be understood that the fully extended position of the tree, as shown in Fig. 2, does not represent the true position of the tree when positioned in a shoe, but that in the latter position, the bends l3 will be drawn further toward each other in order to insure that the full strength of the spring will be directed against the heel and toe portions for the purpose of reshaping the shoe.

Aside from the capacity of a shoe tree of the foregoing constructions to utilize a stronger spring than would otherwise be necessary, the link l9 further restricts any wabbly tendency of the several parts while the tree is being located in a shoe, because the link, to some extent at least, serves to stiifen the tree in lateral directions. The link is efiectively retained in the positions shown by reason of the shaping of the bends I3, while the relation of the link to the arms is positively prevents any tendency of the heel portion i5 to rise upwardly out of the shoe. The device is compact and not only provides for an inter-engagement of parts associated with the heel and toe portions, but also provides a common control for these portions, as is highly desirable in devices of this nature. The heel and toe portions may be simply made from pieces of wood and, as the remaining feature of the article is simply a length of wire which is appropriately bent, it will be readily understood that the tree may be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

While I have shown one set of elements and combinations thereof for eifectuating my improved shoe tree, it will be understood that the same is intended for purpose of illustration only and in no wise to restrict my device to the exact forms and structures shown, for many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A shoe tree comprising heel and toe portions, spring means composed of a wire coiled to provide a spring and hand gripping members, said members being bent outwardly and extended for attachment to said portions, and a link encircling said members and located in the bights formed by the bending of said members, the bights being shaped substantially as recesses for receiving the ends of the link and maintaining the latter in position.

2. A shoe tree comprising heel and toe portions, spring means composed of a wire coiled to provide a spring and outwardly bowed, hand gripping members, said members being bent outwardly and extended for attachment to said portions, the points of attachment being disposed an appreciable distance from the location of the bends, and a link encircling said members and located in the bights formed by the bending of said members.

3. A shoe tree comprising heel and toe portions, spring means composed of a wire coiled to provide a spring and hand gripping members, said members being bent outwardly and extended for attachment to said portions, and a link in the form of an elongated loop encircling said members and located in the bights formed by the bending of said members.

BERNARD F. HORSTING. 

